Cherreads

Chapter 3 - Protectors

Deadeye:

Shooting an explosive arrow, I watch as it hits a crowd of people. A few of them run away in time but most people are caught in the explosion. They scream and shout as they are thrown into the air. While I deal with the annoying crowd, my hired guns are trashing and looting the stores.

Kicking down the doors or breaking through the windows, they rush in and out in minutes with bags full of cash and cards.

"Come on," I say, shooting off another explosive arrow. "Come on! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

As I shoot off a third arrow, I hit a street lamp. The explosion knocks it over and the street lamp falls onto a car, crushing it.

"Hey," I whisper, putting my finger on my earpiece. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"It should," the boss answers. "The 'hero' shouldn't be able to resist this. He will come."

I shrug my shoulders and pull an arrow from my quiver.

"Whether it works or doesn't," I tell myself, "I'll still get my money."

As I put the arrow into my bow, I see a man in a blue shirt fall onto the street.

"Dad," the little girl beside him shouts.

"No," the man screams. "Run! Go! Go!"

The man turning looks at me. Walking toward him, I pull back the bowstring and aim at him.

"Noo," the girl screams. She jumps in front of her father and spreads out her arms.

"Noo," the father shouts. He grabs his daughter and shields her.

I shoot my arrow at the two but something else shoots out from the side. It hits and breaks my arrow, the two halves falling to the ground.

"What the hell," I say. Looking around, I see something flying toward me. Jumping out of the way, I dodge the oncoming attacks. Landing back on my feet, I look around again and see some colorful people.

"Are you okay," someone in strange pink armor asks.

"Who are you," the father asks while keeping his daughter behind him.

"We're here to help," the pink person answers. "Get out of here. Go! Now!"

Pushing and shoving, the father and daughter leave. Meanwhile, four other people, one in red, one in blue, one in black, and the last in yellow surround me.

"Give it up, Deadeye," the person in red armor says. "We have you surrounded!"

"Oh, you think so," I say, smiling. Moving fast, I pull an arrow from my quiver and shoot it at the ground. My flash arrow exploding, blinds everyone and gives me a chance to run around. Running before turning around, I pull out three arrows and aim them at the group. "Who the hell are you?"

The five look at each other before spreading out.

"I am Red Protector Ranger," the first person starts. He pulls from his belt some sort of ray gun and a baton.

"I am Blue Protector Ranger," the second says. This one pulls from behind him two sticks. Slamming them together, he spins around a staff before hitting the ground.

"I am Yellow Protector Ranger," the third person says. Judging from the voice, the third person is a girl. She raises her hand and pushes a button on her gauntlet. Her gauntlet powers up, before a large, yellow shield appears.

"I am Black Protector Ranger," the fourth person goes on. The fourth person pulls two more ray guns from his belt. He spins them around before aiming at me.

"And I am Pink Protector Ranger," the last and fifth person finishes. The fifth person, another girl, shows a small golden stick. Pushing a button, a long pink line bursts out from the stick. She twirls it around before snapping the ground.

"And we are Power Rangers," the five shout simultaneously.

"Power what," I ask. "Ahh! Nevermind! You weirdos aren't the ones I'm looking for! Get out of here. Don't pick a fight you can't win."

"Don't count us out yet," the red ranger answers. "We may surprise you."

"I doubt that."

Putting my fingers in my mouth, I whisper, and on command, all my thugs come out from the stores. They drop the bags they are carrying and pull out their weapons.

"Oh wow," the black ranger says. "That's a lot of...hired helpers."

"So much for outnumbering Deadeye," the blue ranger comments. My thugs surround them. We force them to slam their backs against each other.

"Uhhh," the red ranger moans. "A little help here."

"Who are you talking to," I laugh.

Jason:

"Uhhh," I moan, looking at all the thugs surrounding us. "A little help here."

"You got this," Zordon answers. "All of you got this. The Morphin Grid will not only protect you, but it will also give you enhanced strength, speed, and endurance. The grid also gives you hand-to-hand knowledge, but how you use it is up to you. Just watch out for each other, work as a team, and take Deadeye and his hired helpers down."

"Okay," I say, nodding my head. Breathing in and out, trying to stay calm, I turn and look at everyone else.

"You got my back," I ask.

"I got your back," Chris answers.

"So do I," Mia says.

"Me too," Silvia goes on.

"I'm a little offended you even have to ask," Kashi jokes.

"In that case. Attack!"

Screaming, I raise my Defense Blaster and shoot it. My blaster hits some thugs and knocks them to the ground.

"Fire," Deadeye yells. On command, all of Deadeye's thugs start shooting at us.

"Get behind me," Mia shouts. She jumps and rolls until stopping and lands in front of Kashi. Raising her shield, she blocks all of the thugs' gunfire.

"Thanks," Kashi says, popping out from behind Mia. Rapidly firing his blasters, Kashi blows the thugs into the air before knocking them out. "Oh my god! This is so awesome!"

While fighting more thugs, I hear Chris screaming and turn around. As I turn around, I see Chris flying through the air.

"Not awesome," Chris screams. "This is not awesome! Ahh, why did I get the stick? Why couldn't I have gotten the blasters!"

None of us get the chance to answer Chris as more thugs charge toward him. They try hitting him with the butt of their rifles but Chris spins his staff around. Hitting and knocking most of them to the ground, I see another thug standing behind him. The thug pulls out a handgun and aims it at Chris's head.

"Watch out," I scream.

"What?"

Chris turns around. He's about to get shot but before the thug can pull the trigger, Siliva throws her whip. The pink string wraps around the thug's wrist. Siliva pushes another button, and electricity runs from the string to the thug. It shocks him. Smokes come off this thug as he falls back.

"Like I said," Chris says, looking at Siliva. "Why did I just get a stick? I couldn't gotten a blaster or even a whip like you."

"Stop complaining," I say, quickly looking around. Almost all of the thugs have been taken down, and the rest are quickly following, but there's still one person missing.

"Everyone," I shout. "Where is Deadeye? Does anyone see him?"

"No," Silvia answers.

"Nope," Kashi replies.

"Nada," Chris says. "He's gone."

"Did he run away," Mia asks.

"No," Zordan says. "Deadeye did not run away. At least, he's not running away. He's running to grab something. Incoming!"

Before any of us can react, the ground starts shaking.

"Earthquake," I shout, waving my hand. "Everyone, get down!"

All of us drop to our knees and brace for the earthquake.

"Jason," Zordon yells. "It's not an earthquake."

"What?"

Hearing a bunch of crashes and alarms, I turn my head and see a giant crimson robot.

The giant robot, easily 30-story high, skids into the city, pushing aside cars, buildings, and even the road. It has yellow eyes, two massive arms and legs, and what I'm guessing are rocket launchers on its shoulders. Through speakers somewhere on it, I can hear Deadeyes' voice.

"Enough of this," he yells. "Show yourself! Or Jump City will be flattened!"

The giant robot raising one of its feet, stomps on a store near us. We all scream as we're thrown into the air by a duststorm. Stopping only because I hit a brick wall, I fall flat onto the street.

"Ahh," I moan.

"Jason? Chris? Are you guys okay? Someone answer me!"

"We're fine," I answer.

"No, we're not," Silvia says.

"Yeah, we're not," Chris adds. "Somehow, Deadeye got his hands on a giant robot. Where would he have even gotten something like that?"

"Grid," Zordon answers. "He's the only one I can think of with the engineering knowledge needed to build something like that. Well, actually, not the only one. I hope you guys are prepared for another surprise."

"What," Kashi says, holding his hip while pushing himself up. "You also built giant robots for us?"

"Yes. Hold on. I'm sending them now."

"Wait, you're serious?"

"I don't joke. When I do, it's never funny. Rangers, meet your zords."

"Our what?"

 Zordon doesn't answer me. Instead, these blue ovals appear out of nowhere. I think they might be portals. We watch as these giant machines start flying out of the portals.

"These are your zords," Zordon goes on. "You each have one, and individually, they are strong, but to unlock their true potential, you all have to work together."

"...Okay," I say. "Shouldn't be too hard. Working together, that's what we have been doing so far. Right guys?"

"Yeah," the other says. "Totally. Working together. We got this."

"Hop in," I say. Everyone nods and follows me. As our zords land on the street, we each jump in and take control.

Zordon:

"Everyone," I start, watching from the base. "Place your hands on the control and breath. Combine your power and become something more. Something strong."

Jason, Mia, Chris, Kashi, and Siliva all place their hands on their zords' controls and breaths. As they do, even I can sense the energy coming from them.

"Be born! Protector Megazord!"

I smile when I see all five zords fly into the air. Mia's and Silvia's zords fall first, landing on the street. Jason's zord jumps in from above, linking the two and acting as the legs. Finally, Chris and Kashi join in. They link to Jason's zord and act as its arms.

"Okay," Chris says, now in the cockpit with all the others. "I'll say it. This is so awesome!"

"I know right," Kashi laughs.

"Oh man," Jason screams. "We really do have our own giant robot. Okay! Yay! Deadeye! Show us what you got!"

With that said, Jason, along with the rest of the team, screams as they charge toward Deadeye. Typing a command into the control, I take a quick peek into Deadeye's robot. His eyes are wide and his jaw is open. He's stunned by what he said.

"Surprise, surprise," I say, smiling as I watch the new team battle Deadeye with their new Megazord.

While watching them fight, I reach into my pocket and pull out my Master Morpher.

"Thank you for the help," I say, speaking to all the past rangers I have ever fought alongside with. "I couldn't have done this without any of you."

Nodding and thanking them again, I pocket my Morpher.

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